LeBron James killed a franchise Monday night. A franchise as far as the playoffs and the franchise's nickname are concerned, that is.

James scored 31 points and his Miami Heat pulled away for a series-clinching 109-98 win over the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Officially, the game was sold out —19,092 tickets — though parts of the upper level and scattered seats in the lower section went unused.

With the win, Miami, the two-time defending NBA champion, swept Charlotte in the best-of-seven first-round series. The Bobcats have never won a playoff series, or even a post-season game, in 10 years of existence.

And, after Monday, this much is certain: The Bobcats will never win an NBA playoff game. Within two weeks, the Charlotte franchise plans to flip the switch and become the Hornets, adopting the nickname used by the city’s original pro basketball team from 1988 to 2002.

NBA owners unanimously approved the name change last summer.

Five Heat players scored in double figures to close the series. Kemba Walker led Charlotte with 29 points. Al Jefferson, the Bobcats’ top scorer, missed the game after struggling throughout the series with a foot injury.

Charlotte led 54-52 at halftime but suffered another third-quarter meltdown against the Heat. Miami outscored the Bobcats 32-17 in the period, bolstered by 62 percent shooting and aided by six Charlotte turnovers.

Entering the final quarter, Miami led 84-71, an advantage punctuated by Norris Cole’s 24-foot three-pointer at the buzzer as the period ended.

The Bobcats went a combined 28-120 in the two seasons before Clifford arrived. This season, Charlotte finished 43-39 before bowing to the Heat in the playoffs.

“They’re (heading) in the right direction,” James said of the Bobcats after the game. “Obviously, the signing of Al Jefferson was big time for their franchise. Kemba’s going to continue to improve, and the rest of those guys are going to follow (his) lead.”

Walker called the playoff loss painful, but also a source of motivation for the upcoming off-season.

The Bobcats guard mentioned the chemistry among the players and the discipline instilled by Clifford as good omens for improvement next season.

Over the summer, basketball executives will grapple with free agency and the draft while the rest of the staff continues a lengthy transition to Hornets from Bobcats.

In the weeks ahead, uniforms will be unveiled, a new-look home court, websites, dance team and the new and improved version of mascot Hugo the Hornet will debut.

After Monday night's game, Bobcats President Fred Whitfield smiled while saying the team’s orange will quickly disappear from Time Warner Cable Arena in the days ahead.

“There is going to be a lot of purple and teal in this place,” he said.